The data storage requirements faced by many businesses continue to increase. For example, computer hardware manufactures frequently use computer database systems to track service requests from customers. If such a database allows customers to supply data files (e.g., screenshots, configuration files) related to a particular service request, then the storage requirements for such a database simply grow over time. Cloud computing allows users to perform computing tasks where data, applications, and even complete virtualized computing systems are accessed over computer networks (frequently, e.g., the Internet). The network of servers and connections used to provide a computing service is generally referred to as “the cloud.” Cloud storage provides an abstraction for physical storage devices to facilitate delivering data storage as a service, often billed on a usage basis. That is, cloud storage allows users to store and access data files somewhere in “the cloud,” without knowing the details of where files are stored or having to manage physical storage devices. In cloud storage, capacity can be available on demand and files can be made available on a global basis.
Additionally, data (e.g., data stored in the cloud computing environment, data transmitted to the cloud computing environment, etc.) is frequently encrypted, so as to restrict access to the data from unauthorized parties (i.e., parties without a particular credential or key). For instance, by encrypting the data, hosts (e.g., cloud providers) can more securely transmit and receive data to remote systems (e.g., over a computer network), as the data cannot be decrypted without the proper security credential(s). Thus, even if the data is received by a third party, the third party could not decrypt and access the data, unless the third party has the proper security credential.